Photographic camera



(No Model.)

J. L. ATWATER. PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA.

No. 595,551, Patented Dec. 14, 1897.

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Ens co. pnoroumq, \VASHINGTON UNITED STATES PATENT rFIcE.

JOHN L. ATWATER, OF WESTERN SPRINGS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE VIVECAMERA COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PHOTOGRAPE'HC CAM ERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,551, dated December14, 1897. Application filed March 16, 1896. Serial No. 5 88,391. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. ATWATER, a citizen of the United States,residing in \Vestern Springs, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in PhotographicCameras, of which the following is a specification.

In the present invention I have designed to produce a compact portablephotographic camera of simple construction which will contain a numberof separate sensitive plates or films which may be easily changed indaylight; and the invention consists in the novel devices and novelcombinations of parts and devices herein shown and described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1is a perspective view of the camera closed and ready for use. Fig. 2 isa vertical longitudinal central section of the same, showing the lid ofthe camera raised and the flexible cloth sleeve drawn out, as when thechanging is being effected. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on the line3 3 of Fig. 2, the plate and film or their carriers being, how ever,omitted in said section. Fig. 4 is a detail, and Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of one of the removable plate or film carriers.

In said drawings, A is the camera-box, consisting of a rectangularlight-tight box made a little longer in one direction than in the other.The lens Ct, shutter a, and front vertical partition a are of ordinaryconstruction, such as have been frequently used in small cameras of thisgeneral character, and require no description to enable those skilled inthis art to fully understand them.

13 is a partition extending from the vertical partition a to which it isconnected at a line just above the lens, toward the rear of the box andterminating at the upper edge of said box at a line coincident orapproximately coincident with the upper edge of the plane or positionoccupied by the sensitive plate or film when in place or position fortaking the photograph.

C is a piece of smooth metal having at its front end a lip or ledge 0.One of these ledged strips or pieces is placed at each side of thecamera-box, on the inside of said box and next to the back, and they mayextend from the bottom of the box to the upper edge thereof. A spring D,which may consist of a flat strip of spring-brass, steel, or otherresilient material, is fixed to the inside of the rear of the box, asshown in Fig. 2, and serves to press the plate or film holders orcarriers E out against the ledges c, and thus to hold them upright andfirmly in place.

F is a lid for closing the top of the camerabox, to which it is hingedat f, and catches f are provided to secure it when closed.

G is a flexible cloth sleeve made of lighttight material andconstituting a changingbag connected directly to the camera-box. At theouter end of this sleeve is an opening G, in which to insert the hand inchanging the plates or films. In the edge of this openin g is inclosedan elastic cord G which, when the hand is inserted, will clasp the wristand thus make a light tight connection. The other end of the sleeve G isattached to a frame II, which may consist of a wooden frame or a lightmetal bar or piece of wire bent to form a square and hinged at the frontto the camera-box, as at 71.

At the rear upper corners of the box, underneath the lid F, are hingedclasps, latches, or catches J to hold the frame H and sleeve closed onthe camera and to prevent the accidental opening of the frame by themovements of the operators hand in changing plates or films.

The plate or film holders or carriers are made, preferably, of thinsheet metal. I have used for this purpose the common black japannedferrotype-plates out to a suitable size and having the upper and loweredges turned over, as at e, to form lips or ledges to hold the film orplate in position. The upper side is provided with a handle 6, by whichto more readily grasp the carrier with the thumb and finger in changing.This handle 6 may preferably be slotted with the slot 6 in which a tagmay be fastened for still further facilitating said handling and alsofor receiving a number.

The operation of the device is as follows: In the dark room the holdersE are filled by slipping the upper and lower edges of the film or plateunder the lips e until all of the earriers or holders are providedtherewith. The pack of holders is placed in the camera, as shown in Fig.2, each carrier with the sensitive plate or film facing toward the lens.Vhere films are employed instead of glass plates, as many as three dozenor more can be easily accommodated; but in case glass plates are usedabout one-third as many will occupy the same space. To insert thepackage into the camera, the catches J are unlatched and the hingedframe H, to which the inner end of the sleeve G is attached, is raisedup out of the way, the lid F being also lifted, thus leaving the top ofthe cam era open and unobstructed for the insertion of the package ofcarriers with their contents. After the package is inserted the frame His closed down and the latches J latched. sleeve G is tucked or pushedinto the cavity or space K above the partition B, where it is out of theline of the light-rays from the lens. The lid F is then closed down andlatched and the camera is ready for use. lVhen the package is thus inplace, the spring D, hearing against the rearmost one of the carriers,will force the entire pack forward against the ledges or shoulders c andhold them firmly in place, the foremost one of the pack being inposition to receive the image from the lens and at the right focaldistance for that purpose. After exposure of the foremost plate tochange plates, the lens being closed, the lid F is raised and the sleeveG drawn out. After drawing out the sleeve the lid is closed down uponit, so as to shut out the light from the interior of the camera whilethe hand is being insertedinto the sleeve. After the hand is inserted inthe sleeve the lid is again raised to permit the fingers to have accessto the plates. The operator now feels for the plates with his fingersuntil he gets hold of the carrier containing the foremost or exposedplate or film and raises this vertically out of its position, (which thesmooth metal strips 0 freely permit,) and when the carrier is clear ofthe rest moves it back and pushes it down behind the pack and next thespring D, so that the exposed film or plate now becomes the rearmostone. If desired, to avoid possible accidental double exposure of thesame plate or film, the carrier may be turned with its back outermost inthus replacing. XVhen the change is effected, the lid F is temporarilyclosed while the hand is being withdrawn from the sleeve, and after thehand is with drawn the open end of the sleeve is closed or folded, thesleeve put back into the space K, and the lid F closed and latched, whenthe camera will be ready for another exposure. Although this operationrequires a somewhat lengthy explanation, it is in fact one which may bevery quickly and readily performed in open daylight without danger offogging or injuring the plates.

Although the camera is adapted to use in its holders or carriers Eeither glass plates or thin sensitive celluloid films by simply changing the width of the frame formed by the folded-over edges or lips c, itis more espeeiall y adapted to be used with the greatest advantage withthe thin celluloid films. A great inconvenience in handling these thinfilms rises from their tendency to curl up. This is especially annoyingwhen developing the exposed plate. One special advantage of employingthe thin sheet-metal carrier is that the film need not be taken out ofthe carriers until after it is developed and ready for the hypo orfixing bath. Such films thus remaining in the carrier in which they wereexposed may be quite as readily developed as glass plates, and if duringthe development the operator desires to look through the film, as issometimes the case, this may be readily done by slipping the filmpartlyout of the carrier, to which it may be readily returned to proceed withthe developing, \Vhen such films are wet and the carrier is wet, thefilm will slip very easily upon the carrier.

I claim The combination in a camera-box of a flexible changing-sleeveopen at both ends, the inner end attached to the box under the lid, withthe lid adapted to shut down over the sleeve when the latter is drawnout so as to exclude the light while inserting the hand into the sleeveor withdrawing it therefrom, substantially as specified.

JOHN L. ATXVATER.

Witnesses:

II. M. l\lUNDAY, J OHN W. Mummy.

